In an effort to drum up subscribership and advertise its unlimited data plan for the iPhone 4S, Sprint revealed on Friday that it will begin offering a $100 credit to any customer who trades in an iPhone from another carrier.

The nation's third-largest carrier said that it would be offering non-Sprint users at least $100 for their iPhone to be used towards a new iPhone 4S if they start a line of service with a minimum two-year contract.

Sprint's announcement comes on the heels of reports earlier this week that revealed Verizon would be pushing to end unlimited data usage for its smartphone users come this summer when the company rolls out new shared data plans. The top U.S. wireless company issued a statement on Thursday clarifying that only subscribers upgrading to a subsidized handset would no longer be able to take advantage of the all-you-can-eat service.

Both Verizon and AT&T have come under fire for slowly squeezing grandfathered customers out of their unlimited plans, represented by Verizon's upgrade policy and AT&T's March decision to throttle heavy data users after they pass a 3GB per month threshold.

When it became the last of the big-three telecoms to offer the iPhone, Sprint announced plans to offer unlimited data to new customers when the top two wireless providers killed off their respective uncapped services in a move toward more profitable tiered solutions. AT&T was the first to axe unlimited iPhone data in June 2010, and recently CEO Randall Stephenson admitted that he wished the company had never offered the option. Verizon followed AT&T's lead in July 2011, a mere six months after the device launched on its network.

In a move to stand out from the competition, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse announced in April that his company will continue to offer unlimited data for the next generation iPhone sight-unseen, which means that users can utilize uncapped bandwidth even if the handset supports 4G LTE.

Earlier this week Hesse said that Sprint wouldn't make a profit from the iPhone until 2015, but has no regreets in making a bet-the-company move to ink an agreement to sell the handset that was later revealed to be worth $15.5 billion over the next four years.

"We believe in the long term," Hesse said. "And over time we will make more money on iPhone customers than we will on other customers."

To take advantage of the offer, interested parties must activate a new line by July 3 and trade-in their non-Sprint iPhone before Aug. 14.

Eh. I would love to get the Fu*k away from at&t so they can suck
On my unlimited/3 gig bull and go with sprint and a new unlimited
Plan but there 3G sucks and there LTE most important won't be up to par
For sure, barely. It would suck to finally get an LTE iPhone and not have the
Service to power it so I guess I'll still be stuck with AT&T if I want LTE.
The following year when Sprint gets set up better for 4G they'll probably
Do away with the unlimited plans too. Watch.

This deal looks solid to me. Sprint is very aggressive in getting the coveted iPhone user on their network. Remember, not everyone cares about having the latest gadget. Some even believe that if they wait a year they will get the "kinks" worked out as if these devices aren't tested, a batch couldn't have component or production issue later down the road, or a defective unit -- of which there will always be some -- will not replaced immediately.

Originally Posted by AppleZilla
Lotsa luck with that. I want LTE in the next new iPhone.

And that won't be with Sprint.

Despite their rollout of LTE this year and the assurance that Apple wouldn't release a phone in the US with LTE support on only a few carriers, particularly since the appropriate chips to allow worldwide LTE access will be out by October, you mean?

Then you probably need to look a little closer. Given that most people could get twice as much as what they are offering for a 4 or 4S, heck, I could probably get even more for than $100 for a 3GS, why would I give it to Sprint and get less?

Then you probably need to look a little closer. Given that most people could get twice as much as what they are offering for a 4 or 4S, heck, I could probably get even more for than $100 for a 3GS, why would I give it to Sprint and get less?

-kpluck

Sure, but those people who would consider selling their iPhone on eBay, Craig's List or in some other way to get cash to pay for a new phone are not the people they are targeting. The people they are targeting wouldn't consider it, know how to do it properly or safely, or simply don't want to bother with the hassle.

From what I can tell no other national MNO is doing this. This article also says "at least $100" and doesn't specify which iPhone it is, what condition it has to be in, or even if it has to be working. Assuming at the minimum it has to be working and being used on a carrier when it's brought in that could still mean a hassle way to switch carriers and get a hefty price off your new iPhone price. If you check out Gazelle even the 32GB iPhone 3GS is listed for under $100.

I love that Sprint is pushing unlimited data, AT&T and Verizon have to stay competitive with this plan out there.

And Sprint needs to stay profitable with this plan out there. It's a good tactic to attract users, as all the carriers have done it in the past, but in this modern age of heavy data use at some average usage per subscriber level the cost will make it impossible for them to continue this plan.

And Sprint needs to stay profitable with this plan out there. It's a good tactic to attract users, as all the carriers have done it in the past, but in this modern age of heavy data use at some average usage per subscriber level the cost will make it impossible for them to continue this plan.

My money is on the "Chase" being for the Verizon Cup in 2014. Let's see where the 'more competition at the losses and cost to shareholders' crowd is then.